Compact hold-down and vertical shock mount



Aug-y 6, 1966 c. R. BROWN 3,266,373

COMPACT HOLD-DOWN AND VERTICAL SHOCK MOUNT Filed Oct. 27, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

r. 28 C /4 l "I RN /9 25-" 25'- I II' /8 24 :w I I I 22 2/ y INVENTORGHARLES R BROWN m MM BY ATTORNEY AGENT Aug. 16, 1966 c. R. BROWN3,266,373

COMPACT HOLD-DOWN AND VERTICAL SHOCK MOUNT Filed on 27, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l mm - I mug g I Z3 I II I MW llm' Hill llliiii;

United States atent 3,266,373 COMPACT HOLD-DOWN AND VERTICAL SHOCK MOUNTCharles R. Brown, Sunnyvale, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, tothe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyFiled Oct. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 406,951 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

This invention relates to a missile launching system of the type havingan outer and an inner launching tube and a vertically supported missileand to the mechanism for holding down the missile and serving as avertical shock absorber.

In the past missiles supported in a vertical position, in either aground supported missile installation or one carried in a submarine,have been held down by a separate, complicated and space consumingassembly. The vertical shock absorber was a separate mechanism which waslarger than necessary and consisted of an arrangement of springs andhydraulic support. The necessity for eliminating some of the weight andconserving space made it impossible to use the established assemblies. Acompact support and hold-down mechanism which would also absorb thevertical shocks and eliminate vibration from reaching the missile wasdesirable.

The object of this invention is to provide a hold-down mechanism and avertical shock absorber in a single assembly which will utilize littlespace and add little to the weight of the launching system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hold-downmechanism and a shock absorber for vertical shocks in a single piece ofapparatus which will occupy little space in the launcher tube which willfit the existing missile and which will not be complicated or bediflicult to install.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pair ofmetallic support rings, a lower or bottom ring and an upper or innersupport ring and to so join the two rings that they will support themissile resiliently to absorb the vertical vibrations.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pairof ring supports, one partially nested within the other and to jointhese two support rings with a resilient collar which will give asubstantially rigid support in a lateral or radial direction whilefurnishing a resilient support which will absorb vibration in a verticaldirection.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a meanssimilar to previously used means for attaching the upper support ring tothe missile so that the support for the missile also holds the missiledown in the tube and to provide an anchorage for the lower ring so thatthe missile is held down by the upper support ring and the lower supportring through the resilient connection between the two rings.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide meansfor clamping the bottom of the missile to the upper end of the uppersupport ring, such clamping means being usually in the form of aclamping ring which is collapsible towards the center and to providemeans associated with the upper support ring and formed integraltherewith for receiving this collapsed ring and retaining it fromintreference with the exhaust nozzles of the missile.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of the inventionwhen considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the missile and launching tube;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of that portion of the missile andlaunching tube showing the particular hold-down mechanism and shockabsorber.

The invention, as illustrated, shows the invention as applied to amissile launching system as designed for application to a submarine. Thesame structure, slightly modified, could be used for a missile launchingsystem either land based or for application to larger surface ships.

Referring to the drawings where like parts are indicated by similarnumerals, a small section of the hull 11 of a submarine is shownsupporting a missile launching system comprising an outer tube 12 andinner tube 13 and a spacing means consisting of a ring 14 and a filler15 between the two tubes.

The missile 16 is housed within the inner tube and spaced therefrom by aseal facing 17 which separates the missile from the inner side of thetube and provides a packing which gives the missile some rigidity in aradial direction. The missile is of the usual type having exhaustnozzles 18 and a bottom rim 19 which is inturned.

The mechanism forming this invention comprises a bottom support ring 21having lower ears to which supporting turnbuckles or hydraulic springsare attached. This supporting structure for the bottom support ringforms no part of this invention and is here shown only diagrammatically.The support ring 21 is formed with a comparatively small radial wall 22and a substantially extended vertical wall 23.

An inner or upper support ring 24 is formed with an upper section havinga diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the missile and slightlybelow the upper edge an internal collar or ledge 25 extends under thebottom rim 19 of the missile. This annular collar 25 is tapered on itsunderside as at 26 which taper conforms to a similar taper 27 formed onthe missile rim 19. These two engaging rims of frusto-conical shape incross section are engaged by the outer surface of a clamping ring 28which firmly clamps the rim 19 to the collar 25 and provides thehold-down connection as well as a support.

The diameter of the upper support ring 24 is decreased in a lowersection below the clamping ring to provide an annular shoulder 29 formedwith an inner upturned lip 31. This lip has an upper rim 32 projectingoutward to form a catch for a downwardly projecting foot 33 of theclamping ring 24. Upon contraction of the clamping ring at the time ofrelease of the missile from the holddown mechanism, the clamping ringwill be caught and held by the lip 31 and prevented from interferringwith the exhaust nozzles.

The smaller diameter section of the upper support ring 24 extendsdownward within the confines of the bottom support ring and is attachedto the bottom support ring by a resilient collar 34 to provide a shearmount for the inner support ring. The resilient or rubber collar 34 isfirmly attached to the inner wall of the bottom support ring and to theouter wall of the inner support ring to provide both support and a shockabsorber for vibration in a vertical direction. The height of thisrubber collar may 'be controlled by the rigidity desired and the weightto be supported. It may be formed of one piece or of several sectionsspaced slightly from each other.

The bottom support ring has an outer wall covering of a :soft foamrubber which may be covered with Teflon. This serves as a packingbetween the tube Wall and the bottom support ring and centers the bottomsupport ring. The radial wall of the bottom support ring has a pluralityof integral ears for engaging supporting brackets which are attached tothe tube.

The function of the supporting ring is clearly seen, as the clampingring holds the missile firmly attached to the inner support ring whichis supported by the bottom support ring through the rubber collar in avibration absorbing manner. Upon release of the missile by contractingthe clamping ring through any desired mechanism such as a hydraulicpiston, the clamping ring is retained by the lip 31 and prevented fromentangling with the exhaust nozzles.

Such a support serves as both a shock absorber and a hold-down mechanismand is not bulky or unnecessarily heavy. It is comparatively easy toinstall and functions successfully.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a missile launching system having an outer and an inner launchingtube and a vertically supported missile, a missile. hold-down mechanismand a vertical shock absorber comprising:

a bottom support ring located Within the outer tube and secured thereto;

means attached to the outer wall of the bottom support ring and engagingthe wall of the outer tube to serve as a packing unit;

an upper support ring located above and extending within the bottomsupport ring;

resilient means connecting the bottom support ring with the uppersupport ring and supporting the upper ring; means integral with theupper support ring supporting the missile; and

means securing the upper support ring to the missile.

2. A missile hold-down mechanism and a vertical shock absorber accordingto claim 1 wherein the means securing the upper support ring to themissile comprises an inwardly contracting clamping ring operable torelease the missile from the upper support ring.

3. A missile hold-down mechanism and a vertical shock absorber accordingto claim 1 wherein the resilient means connecting the upper support ringwith the bottom support ring comprises a rubber collar secured to theouter wall of the upper support ring and to the inner wall of the bottomsupport ring and serving as a substantially rigid brace in a radialdirection and as a vibration absorber in a vertical direction.

4. A missile hold-down mechanism and a vertical shock absorber accordingto claim 2 and including means integral with the upper support ring forengaging the clamping ring upon release of the missile from the uppersupport ring by retraction of the clamping ring, said means retainingthe clamping ring and preventing interference with the passage of themissile.

5. In a missile launching system having a launching tube and avertically positioned missile, a missile holddown mechanism and avertical shock absorber comprising:

a bottom support ring securely fastened to the side wall of thelaunching tube, said ring being formed with a comparatively tallvertical wall;

a foam rubber covering on the outer wall of said bottom ring contactingthe inner Wall of the tube, said covering acting to center the bottomring in the tube and serving as a packing member;

an upper support ring having a lower diameter section and an upperdiameter section, the lower section being of less diameter than theupper section, the larger part of the lower section extending downwardwithin the confines of the bottom support ring, the upper section beingformed with an annular internal collar engaging the bottom rim of themissile, said upper section being further formed with an internalshoulder having an upstanding lip;

a clamping ring engaging the annular internal collar and the rim of thebottom of the missile and clamping them together, said clamping ringbeing formed with a depending foot, which upon disengagement of theclamping ring with the internal collar and rim said foot will engage thelip of the shoulder and retain the clamping ring from interference withthe missile;

a rubber collar extending between the outer wall of the lower section ofthe upper support ring and the inner wall of the bottom support ring,said rubber collar being firmly secured to each of said support rings toprovide hold-down mechanism and shock absorption for the missile.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

S. W. ENGLE, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A MISSILE LAUNCHING SYSTEM HAVING AN OUTER AND AN INNER LAUNCHINGTUBE AND A VERTICALLY SUPPORTED MISSILE, A MISSILE HOLD-DOWN MECHANISMAND A VERTICAL SHOCK ABSORBER COMPRISING: A BOTTOM SUPPORT RING LOCATEDWITHIN THE OUTER TUBE AND SECURED THERETO; MEANS ATTACHED TO THE OUTERWALL OF THE BOTTOM SUPPORT RING AND ENGAGING THE WALL OF THE OUTER TUBETO SERVE AS A PACKING UNIT; AN UPPER SUPPORT RING LOCATED ABOVE ANDEXTENDING WITHIN THE BOTTOM SUPPORT RING; RESILIENT MEANS CONNECTING THEBOTTOM SUPPORT RING WITH THE UPPER SUPPORT RING AND SUPPORTING THE UPPERRING; MEANS INTEGRAL WITH THE UPPER SUPPORT RING SUPPORTING THE MISSILE;AND MEANS SECURING THE UPPER SUPPORT RING TO THE MISSILE.